Jets’ Revis Woodson’s Main Competition For Defensive MVP

Around these parts it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Green Bay Packers’ Charles Woodson will be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

We’ve looked at the competition and crunched the numbers. But we may have overlooked one guy – New York Jets’ cornerback Darrelle Revis.

Previously, our discussion centered around the Minnesota Vikings’ Jared Allen, the Denver Broncos’ Elvis Dumervil and the New Orleans Saints’ Darren Sharper, but Revis is having as good a season, if not better, than all of them.

Revis has 46 tackles, six interceptions and one touchdown on the season. Furthermore, he’s handled some of the best receivers in the NFL – Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Steve Smith and Marques Colston to name a few – and Revis’ Jets have taken over as the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL from Woodson’s Packers. The Jets rank first against the pass, the Packers third.

Woodson has four forced fumbles and two sacks on the season – two categories in which Revis is putting up zeros. He also has more tackles (61), interceptions (8), and touchdowns (2). Like Revis, Woodson takes away an opponent’s best receiver, but Woodson has a flare for the spectacular, whether it’s in the passing game or supporting the run.

The reason we’re reordering our list and putting Revis in the second position is because of something Fox Sports’ Adam Schein noted – as top-flight cornerbacks, Revis and Woodson essentially take away half the field.

No one else in the conversation can say that.

Unfortunately for Revis and the rest of the field, no one has been quite as dominant as Charles Woodson this season.